Brandy Crusta
4.2 164 ratings
Ingredients
How to make
Serve in a flute glass
Prepare
- 1 Select and pre-chill a FLUTE GLASS.
Method
- 2 Prepare the glass with citrus peel and sugar CRUSTA by first finding a whole lemon that fits snugly inside the top of your glass with its equator in contact with the rim of the glass.
- 3 Cut off both ends of the fruit to leave a central slice a little more than 25ml (1 inch) thick.
- 4 Carefully remove the pulp from this central slice to leave a ring of skin and push this into the top of the glass.
- 5 Moisten the outside rim of the glass and exposed fruit with citrus juice and dip in white caster sugar to heavily frost the edge of both peel and glass.
- 6 Leave for a couple of hours to form a hard crust that helps secure the peel. (The ring of citrus peel should become a waterproof extension to the top of the glass.) Place in a freezer to chill the glass ready for the cocktail.
- 7 SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
- 8 FINE STRAIN into pre-prepared glass.
Flavour profile
22.3% alc./vol. · 1.5 standard drinks · 180 calories
History
This balanced, brandy-based classic zings with lemon and layers of complexity from curaçao, maraschino, and bitters. Balanced to be slightly sour, allowing for minimal sweetness from a crusted rim.
The Brandy Crusta emerged in the 1850s, conceived by Joseph Santini, an Italian hailing from Trieste. Its birthplace was New Orleans, Louisiana, specifically either at the City Exchange in the French Quarter, or within his own establishment, the Jewel of the South saloon on Gravier Street in the American Quarter, which commenced operations in 1855. The drink's name describes the substantial sugar layer encrusting its rim. Considered by numerous experts to be the precursor to the Sidecar, and consequently, the Margarita—complete with its signature crusted sugar rim. The Brandy Crusta holds an esteemed position among classic cocktails, demonstrated by its distinction as the fourth drink depicted in Jerry Thomas' 1862 Bar-Tender's Guide, recognized as the world's inaugural cocktail book. Notably, within the entry for the Dry Punch in this guide, Santini's background is erroneously identified as Spanish, and his name is misspelled as "Santina". "107. Brandy Cocktail. (Use small bar glass.) 3 or 4 dashes of gum syrup. 2 do. Bitters (Bogart's). 1 wine-glass of brandy. 1 or 3 dashes of Curaçao. Squeeze lemon peel; fill one-third full of ice, and stir with a spoon." "108. Fancy Brandy Cocktail. (Use small bar glass.) This drink is made the same as the brandy cocktail, except that it is strained in a fancy wine-glass, and a piece of lemon peel thrown on top, and the edge of the glass moistened with lemon." "116. Brandy Crusta. (Use small bar glass.) Crusta is made the same as a fancy cocktail, with a little lemon juice and a small lump of ice added. First, mix the ingredients in a small tumbler, then take a fancy red wine-glass, rub a sliced lemon around the rim of the same, and dip it in pulverized white sugar, so that the sugar will adhere to the edge of the glass. Pare half a lemon the same as you would an apple (all in one piece) so that the paring will fit in the wine-glass, as shown in the cut, and strain the crusta from the tumbler into it. Then smile." "No. 23 Brandy Crusta Glass No. 6 Take glass #6, sugar the sides by lightly rubbing the outer edges on a slice of lemon, dip the glass in powdered sugar to create a frosted appearance, cut a strip of lemon zest long enough to wrap around the inside of the glass, and place a cherry at the bottom. Take a silver tumbler and fill it halfway with crushed ice: 3 dashes of Angostura bitters, 3 dashes of Maraschino liqueur, 3 dashes of Curaçao liqueur, juice of a quarter of a lemon, and a shot glass of cognac. Fit a second tumbler, shake it vigorously, pour it into the prepared glass, and serve."
Created by Joseph Santini